Ahed Tamimi and her mother Nariman Tamimi were released last Sunday from the Sharon prison in Israel after serving an 8-month sentence.

During their release, Ahed thanked the international community for their activism and support. The 17-year-old also made sure to remind everyone that she is only one of many young children who sit in Israeli prisons.

“My happiness is not complete without my sisters, who are not with me. I hope that they will also be free,” said Ahed.

According to Defence for Children International, between 500-700 Palestinian children are arrested each year. Some minors are held in detention until they are old enough to be arrested.

Upon her release, Ahed added, “The resistance will continue until the end of the occupation.”

Nariman joined the sentiment by saying: “As a parent, I want to say that we shouldn’t be afraid of our children and we should support them in whatever they choose to do. They are being killed whether in our homes or resisting in the streets, so support them in resistance.”

The 17-year-old wanted to pass on a message from other female political prisoners, calling for Palestinian national unity and for everyone to stand for the rights of political prisoners. She also stated she wants to pursue a career in law to “hold the occupation accountable.”

Bassem Tamimi, Ahed’s father and Nariman’s husband, told Al Jazeera prior to their release that this was a very happy moment for him.

During her time in jail, Ahed Tamimi has become an icon of Palestinian resistance and a symbol of the children of the occupation.

In a reception for the released Tamimi’s, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Ahed is a “role model and example of the popular Palestinian struggle for liberty and independence.”

The release of this symbol of young resilience has been celebrated in a similar manner all over the globe.

For Israelis however, the whole Tamimi family is merely a pawn in the Palestinian propaganda game. The spokesman for the Im Tirzu Zionist movement called the Tamimi’s a 'family of terrorists.’

In order to avoid press coverage, the Israeli Authorities changed the location for the release of Ahed and Nariman three times before announcing the final location in Rantis.

Ahed was arrested for slapping a soldier in December 2017, when she was still 16.

The interaction was filmed by her mother. The video showed Ahed attempting to push and slap the soldiers away from in front of her home in Nabi Saleh.

The filmed confrontation occurred after Ahed’s 15-year-old cousin was shot in the face with a rubber bullet.

Days later, soldiers arrested Ahed during a night raid to her home. Her mother was detained when she went to the police station to ask about her daughter.

She was then also sentenced to 8 months for incitement on social media.

Ahed was originally charged with 12 counts of assault, incitements, interference and stone throwing. In March 2018, Ahed pleaded guilty to four of the charges.

Nabi Saleh, the home village of the Tamimi family, is known worldwide for its popular struggle and non-violent protests.

Although the demonstrations are unarmed and non-violent, Nabi Saleh has faced immense brutality from Israelis.